


Short 30 - Time Heals

by stgjr



Series: "The Power of a Name" Series 3 - "Time Lord Penitent" [6]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005), The Dresden Files - All Media Types
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Multiple Crossovers, Multiverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-19
Updated: 2017-05-19
Packaged: 2018-11-02 14:29:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10946448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stgjr/pseuds/stgjr
Summary: Our narrator and his Companions visit the Chicago of Harry Dresden for some quiet time.





	Short 30 - Time Heals

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally posted on November 21st, 2014.

I woke up when I heard the thump, followed by a loud growl of sheer frustration. I got out of the library recliner, where I had dozed off while reading a book on hyperdimensional physics, and ventured towards the source of the noise.  
  
In one of my spare rooms, Korra had set up a sparring area. She'd put on one of her sparring suits and Asami was in the same. Discarded staves were in one corner; instead they were facing off with... at that point I blinked. Korra wasn't holding anything but had adopted a fighting stance. Asami was wielding a firearm-style device. I noticed the side of it had a thermal amplifier, a nifty little heat generator that utilized subspatial energy transference that I'd picked up after one too many trips to very cold places. I narrowed my eyes with suspicion.  
  
Asami looked cautious, but her finger still stroked the trigger. Bursts of flame, increasing in size, lashed out. I felt the heat of the flames on my skin as they surged at Korra. Her arms whipped around and drew fire to herself; she was firebending a defensive firebreak to stop the attack. She deflected several of the bursts that way and surged forward toward Asami. Asami took a step backward and fired the largest bolt yet. Korra put her hands through it, bending the flame back...  
  
...and she froze in her tracks.  
  
Her posture became rigid and inflexible. The familiar look of surprised panic crossed her face and she stopped in place briefly before she fell backward. Asami held the device away and looked at her somberly. Frustration came to Korra's face and a tear formed in one eye. "I'm getting so tired of this!", she said angrily.  
  
I didn't speak. It would only make her feel worse.  
  
"You're getting better though." Asami offered her a hand to get back up. At about this point they seemed to notice I was present. "Oh. We didn't wake you up, did we?"  
  
"Oh, I'm fine," I answered quickly. And then I yawned in defiance of that statement. Cursed yawning. "Interesting use of my thermal generator, Asami."  
  
"Oh. Well, yes," she said. After helping Korra up she set the flamethrower aside. "I just needed something for the practice since I can't actually firebend."  
  
"Ah." I gave a nod. "Well, since we're all up..." A thought crossed my mind on where to go next. "...perhaps a visit somewhere is in order."  
  
"Where will we go this time?", Korra asked.  
  
"To visit a friend," I answered plainly.  
  
  
  
  
Korra recognized the building I materialized the TARDIS beside even with all of the snow on it. Asami did not. "Where is this?"  
  
"Chicago, the Windy City," I answered. "And we're about to intrude upon the very cramped apartment of the city's only professional wizard." Seeing the unknowing look on her face, I added, "You remember Harry and Molly and Michael, right?"  
  
Asami nodded in realization. "Oh, this is where they're from?"  
  
"Yes. Harry's apartment is down here." I took a quick glance and confirmed the _Blue Beetle_ was parked. Asami gave it a curious look as we walked past. I led them down the steps to the doorway and brought a warning hand up. "Don't touch anything. Harry's protective wards are rather lethal." I gave the door a good knock.  
  
It took rather longer than I imagined, but soon the security door wrenched open with protest and Harry stood in the doorway. He had a new scar on his face and had his hand on his head. "Ah, hey." He gestured. "Come on in, Doc."  
  
I looked at him squarely for a moment. "You know how I feel about that."  
  
"No, I know how you feel about the full title," he answered. "But the shorthand is something different. And maybe I'm just being a lazy bastard right now. Or channeling my inner Bugs. You can decide it for me because I have a splitting migraine headache right now."  
  
I nodded and we entered. I overheard Asami whispering, "'Doc', we should've thought of that" to Korra.  
  
Harry's apartment was, well, not too cold despite the winter chill; his fireplace was lit and heating the small space. Books lined his shelves as usual and candles provided light.  
  
"Uh, what happened to your face?", Korra asked.  
  
"I had a disagreement with a fellow wizard," Harry said flippantly, crashing back into his couch. "He took me outing him to the Council as a traitor sort of personally."  
  
"Peabody, I presume?", I asked.  
  
Harry gave me a look. "Oh, don't even pretend you don't know already, Mister Time Lord," he scoffed.  
  
"Well, if it makes you feel better..."  
  
"What would make me feel better is finding the assholes who were working with him." Harry let out a sigh and focused his eyes on my new Companions. "So you're bringing Korra along with her cute friend, I see. How have you been doing?"  
  
"Oh, that's a long story. Short version is that I got so wound up that I put my essence and mind into a fob watch and turned my body into a Human school teacher in the Federation." I frowned. "Then he fell in love and had a nice life just to have Starfleet come looking for me because the Borg were coming. I'd angered them rather badly during my Triumphant days. So to stop the Borg he opened the watch and I came back."  
  
Harry nodded. "Yeah. I see. And her?" He looked to Korra. "You're a bit different."  
  
Korra nodded quietly. "I... yeah."  
  
Asami and I remained quiet while Korra spoke. She didn't use many few words to lay out what happened with her uncle and then with the Red Lotus. Harry's expression showed increasing sympathy. "Yeah," he finally said. "Metallic poisoning. Horrible thing to do."  
  
"I still see Zaheer in my nightmares," she said. "Even outside of them. It seems whenever I'm in a fight, I'll remember that battle and freeze up."  
  
"Psychic trauma," Harry answered. "Probably because having that spirit inside you in the driver's seat made you susceptible to it even without a direct attack on your mind and spirit. Although maybe it's just plain old PTSD."  
  
"PT..." Korra blinked and looked to me. "You used that before, didn't you?"  
  
"Post-traumatic stress disorder," I answered.  
  
"Yeah." Korra lowered her eyes. "I'm just tired of feeling this way. It's silly because I'm worlds away from Zaheer and it's like a part of me is afraid he or one of his followers is going to pop up and do it again."  
  
"Hey, they did try, it's not surprising to be afraid of it happening again," Harry said. "And I know what it's like, kid."  
  
Korra looked at him. "What do you mean?"  
  
Harry tapped the scar on his face. "This is just the new one." He pulled off his robe and lifted his shirt up to show a nasty scar along his belly. "This was from a nasty old wizard who thought I was hiding a magic coin from him.  He figured he would find it somewhere in my intestines." He indicated a bullet wound scar on his arm next. "Some law agents who went too far and were running around with _hexenwulf_ belts."  
  
" _Hexenwulf_?" Asami asked.  
  
"Magic belts that turn you into a wolf," he explained.  "A nasty, bloodthirsty wolf."  
  
Of course, that didn't entirely narrow it down for Asami. "What kind of wolf? Wolf-bat?"  
  
Harry stared at her for a moment. "Wolf-bats? Seriously?" When they nodded he shook his head. "Stars and stones, that sounds... horrid."  
  
"That's because you've never seen a spider-rat," I remarked, smirking.  
  
Harry shook his head again. "And I thought the idea of weregoats was bad. Jesus, spider-rats."  
  
"What are those marks on your wrists?" Korra asked.  
  
"Thorn manacles to restrain my magic. A White Court Vampire tried to sell me to my enemies on eBay once." When he saw Korra's eyes going to his left hand - which had been gloved when they first met - he added, "Black Court vampire minion with a flamethrower. Back then my magic energy shield wasn't designed to resist actual heat. He nearly cooked my hand off. It's had a few years to heal."  
  
"Wow..."  
  
"And that's just the scars." He put a hand on her shoulder. "I know what it's like to be dragged into darkness by monsters, kid. I've been made helpless before. It's not fun. And every one of those things has stayed with me for years. Hell, your uncle sounds a lot like my foster father, so I've been there too."  
  
"Will I ever get better?"  
  
"Sure. But that's not the same as the dreams ending. You just... learn to live with it." Seeing the look on her face Harry sighed and got up, going over to where he had his duster hanging. "Let me make a couple of phone calls. I think I know just who you need to talk to."  
  
  
  
  
I stood between Harry and Asami as we watched Korra twist around, throwing bursts of air with a series of punches and kicks. Those air bursts would have ordinarily been enough to knock someone over with the slightest imbalance.  
  
Karrin Murphy ducked under one, sidestepped another, and then took a leap over a gust Korra generated with a low kick and closed the distance. Her hands took Korra by the arm and moments later Korra was flat on her back and pinned to the mat. "You're telegraphing your movements," Murphy said, barely looking winded despite the exercise. "Your form is still pretty good, but you're relying too much on muscle memory and you're not thinking it through."  
  
"She's fast," Asami said, a little surprised.  
  
Korra gave me a frustrated look. "Is this more of that 'therapy' you're always talking about? Being reminded I can't fight anymore?"  
  
"You have to find out what's wrong before you can fix something." Murphy released her from the pin. "You're out of practice."  
  
"But I train all the time," Korra protested.  
  
"You were off your feet for a year, right?" Murphy asked. "It can take a lot of time to make up for that. I've seen it before." She gave a look at Harry. "It takes time to make up for lost training. As I've told _certain_ wizards repeatedly for the last decade."  
  
"I have a limited tolerance for getting smacked around by short angry chicks," Harry retorted with that deadpan grin he liked to show when he was teasing.  
  
"Funny, because it sounds like you want it to happen, Harry," Murphy answered, smirking. She stood beside Korra. It emphasized the joke about Murphy's height; Korra was barely five and a half feet tall and still had about half a foot on Murphy.  
  
Having made her retort to Harry, she turned to Korra and put a hand on her arm. "Hey. I've been through a lot of crap myself. I remember being just as impatient as you are now when it comes to getting over something that messes your head up like that. It's going to take time. I know that sucks, believe me, but there's no getting around it."  
  
"It's not just that," Korra said quietly. "I don't even know if I'm needed anymore. I'm supposed to be responsible for my world and it seems like it's not even necessary any more."  
  
"Ah, I know that feeling too. It's part of being a cop." Murphy folded her arms. "People don't need you or want you until they do, if you get what I mean?"  
  
"I think I do," she answered. "But it's... I mean, there are people doing the things I should have been doing if I wasn't stuck recuperating."  
  
"Always tough to see other people doing your work when you're not able," Murphy agreed. "You have to work through it. Same as everyone." Murphy wiped at her forehead with the sleeve of her white _gi_ suit. "So, are you planning on staying around for a while? I could show you a few things so you're not relying on being able to throw fireballs with your punches."  
  
"Well... " She looked to me. "Doc?"  
  
I narrowed my eyes, my expression betraying humor and some manufactured irritation. When Harry saw my look and chuckled I shot a glare at him. "You're encouraging them," I accused.  
  
"Who, me? Nah. From where I stand, Korra and Asami don't need the encouragement... _Doc._ "  
  
"I swear, Dresden..." I looked back to Korra. "If you want to spend some time practicing with Sergeant Murphy, I have no objections. My palate will have to suffer Harry's infatuation with Burger King, admittedly..."  
  
Asami blinked. "Burger... King?"  
  
A sharp laugh came from Murphy. "You... haven't introduced them to the idea of fast food, have you?"  
  
"That was one horror I was trying to spare them from, I admit," I answered flippantly.  
  
"Fast... food?", Korra asked, looking intrigued.  
  
"Oh, this is going to be _fun_ ," Harry said, his face twisting into an amused smirk.  
  
"Oi, Harry..."  
  
And so, yes, despite my best efforts my Companions were introduced to the artery-clogging horror that is American Fast Food.  
  
  
  
  
The ride back to Harry's apartment in the Blue Beetle was a trial. Okay, living in the Southern Water Tribe had further acclimated me to the cold, but being pushed into Harry's little Volkswagen for the trip in both directions was the worst part.  
  
"This really doesn't look more advanced than a Satomobile," Asami said after we pulled out of the accursed Burger King. "I mean, the materials are the same."  
  
"Sato-what?"  
  
"Her father is her world's version of Henry Ford," I explained from my cramped front seat position.  
  
"Oh really? Ha."  
  
I looked back and saw that she had ignored my mention of her father due to the thoughts spinning in her head. Suddenly I imagined "Sato-beetles" filling the roads of Republic City and elsewhere. "I wouldn't mind getting a look at the engine."  
  
"I suppose," Harry said. "You'll have time for that." He gave me a questioning look. He clearly had the same thought; Asami learning about the technology of this time period might influence her world's technological evolution. I answered with a shrug.  
  
When we returned to his apartment parking place it was a small challenge to unfold myself from the seat. "If you do try to build some of these, Asami, do give them more legroom," I pleaded.  
  
Harry snickered in response to that. "If I can drive the _Beetle_ for ten years, you can stand riding it for a day or two," he answered.  
  
  
  
  
After exposing my innocent companions to the greasy excuse for food that is American fast food, we called it a night and returned to the TARDIS for rest. The next day Harry came to let us know he was up. I met him at the door while the girls got ready for the day. He looked at the interior of the TARDIS for a moment before looking to me. "So what are your plans? Going to keep Korra around until Murphy's gotten her fighting again?"  
  
"Oh, I imagine in a few days we'll move on," I said in reply. "But it'd be nice to see if we can get her improving. She makes progress all the time but... I'm not sure she's recovering spiritually."  
  
"She got knocked around pretty badly. They crippled her, left her helpless, even the most confident aren't going to bounce back from that. And she was just what, eighteen?" He shook his head. "She'd probably never even considered something like that possible. It's no wonder the kid's traumatized."  
  
"Indeed."  
  
"Maybe she needs more than Murphy tossing her around the mat," Harry continued.  
  
"Oh, she does," I agreed. "But there's only so much I can give."  
  
"Especially with your whole identity problem, yeah."  
  
I gave him a level look. He returned it. "I know Bob already went over the whole 'names have power' thing with you. What do you think that means if you're going around saying you don't have one?"  
  
"So you're suggesting I just... make something up?"  
  
"It's better than what you're doing right now." Harry motioned toward one of the interior doors. "I get you feel guilty over what happened to her..."  
  
"I've spent the last year and a half dealing with that," I interjected in irritation.  
  
"Yeah, and I still feel guilty over crap that happened ten years ago." Harry didn't feel it necessary to bring up exactly what but I could imagine it. Kim Delaney and Susan Rodriguez were the most prominent examples. "So I know it still bugs you."  
  
"Of course it does," I hissed. "She trusted me to be there to help and I missed it because I _gave in_. You saw what I had turned into, Harry. I nearly got Nerys killed! And then when all of that was over... instead of toughing it out, I gave up on everything and created John to live a Human life. I ignored my responsibilities. Everything I had pledged to do. And Korra was hurt because of that."  
  
"No, she was hurt because some maniacs tried to kill her," Harry retorted. "You don't know how things might have gone if you had shown up."  
  
"I can be sure they would have gone better if I'd been there." I plopped down to sit on the stairs of the TARDIS. "Korra's lost so much, Harry. I could have spared her that."  
  
"Maybe." he sat down next to me. "But sometimes... hell, I don't know what I'm saying. You know how I am with seeing women hurt."  
  
"Oh, I know. It was why, if the TARDIS hadn't been repairing, I would have considered asking you and Molly to help get her back from Dorje." I smirked. "And I believe this is when Karrin would call you a chauvinistic pig," I opined.  
  
"Or something like that, yeah. Point is, Doc, that you can't be looking out for us all the time. We've got our own battles to fight."  
  
"Not that it will stop you from calling me in if it's big enough," I remarked.  
  
"You've got me there," Harry admitted. "I, well, hell, I admit I regret giving you back the beacon sometimes. I think about what that skinwalker did to Thomas and how you might have been there to watch his back. Or given me more options to hide Morgan. Hell's bells, Morgan might still be alive..."  
  
"Not exactly making me feel better there, Harry."  
  
"Let me finish," he insisted. "I think about it, yeah, but when I really think about it... I'm not sure even you could have made things better in the end. I mean, that whole thing was pretty much a win-win for the bad guys. You couldn't have swayed the Council and against something like the skinwalker, well, you're not exactly the combat type Doc."  
  
"True," I admitted. "I'm more of the idea man, with a healthy dose of teching things."  
  
"And that's your strength and you should stick to it," Harry said. "My point is... you can't fix every situation, so stop worrying about what you weren't there to deal with."  
  
He was right, of course. "I know you're right. But every time I saw her in that wheelchair..." I clenched a fist. "I honestly thought about dropping Zaheer into the middle of Winter, Harry. Several times."  
  
"Yeah, I get that. But you didn't, and that's the important part."  
  
"No, I did not." I almost told him I'd _threatened_ to in order to put the fear of, well, me into Zaheer and whatever was left of the Red Lotus. But I held back. It wasn't something I wanted to bring up. "And your point is eloquently made in that infuriating way of yours."  
  
"I'm a wizard. Sage advice comes in the territory." He waited a moment before finishing, "Still, I'll take that beacon back if you don't mind."  
  
I knew, full well, the consequences of doing so. But I said nothing to that. I stood up and went to a container I'd set under the TARDIS controls. I took out the beacon and tossed it to Harry. He caught it one-handed. "There you go," I said.  
  
He slipped it into his duster. I heard footsteps coming down the hall. Korra and Asami emerged ready for the day. "So, more practice today?", she said.  
  
"Yes, but not with Murph. She called and said she'd have a full day from a case being punted over to SI. So, as soon as the Grasshopper shows up..."  
  
There was a knock at the TARDIS door. I snapped my fingers to open the door. A winter-clad Molly Carpenter, with seasonable blue and white hair, stepped into the TARDIS. She was carrying a few accoutrements of her new trade, likely for training. Upon seeing me she smiled, and the smile grew when she saw Korra and Asami behind her. "Hey, you're back," she said softly. "And you've got Korra with you?"  
  
I noticed her eyes tense. Concentration showed on Molly's features. I wondered just what she was doing and was answered in an unexpected way when her hand came up to her mouth to stifle a startled little sound. Her skin turned pale and she faltered backward. She almost fell but Harry caught her and held her up. "Molly?", he asked.  
  
Hearing Harry seemed to jolt her back to attention. "Um... yes. It's good to see you all again." She looked at Harry. "So what about today's training?"  
  
"It will be special today," he answered. "You won't be alone." He nodded to Korra.  
  
"Oh." She didn't seem surprised by that.  
  
"What's wrong with her?", Asami whispered to me.  
  
"I have suspicions. Nothing terrible, though, so don't worry about it." I gave Molly a sympathetic look before stepping up to the TARDIS controls. "So, somewhere special? Or shall I generate a training room for you?"  
  
"No, that won't do," Harry said. "There's a little spot outside of town that will work just fine."  
  
  
  
  
I watched with interest while Harry put Molly through defensive combat training, employing Korra as an attacker. Which, coincidentally, gave Korra more time to practice her offensive forms. Molly's defensive shields were improving, at least, although she endured quite a few smacks from rocks sent flying toward her by Korra's Earthbending. I could see the look on Harry's face as the training progressed. We exchanged several glances; we both knew that Molly was disturbed at something and that it was impacting her performance.  
  
There was a slip up in Molly's focus and Korra hit her in the cheek with a rock. "I'm sorry!" she shouted, rushing to where Molly had fallen. A bloody bruise formed on the wound. Korra pulled out her water bottle and began using the water in it to heal Molly. "I was aiming lower. I didn't mean to hurt you."  
  
"It's... it's alright," Molly insisted. Her eyes lowered.  
  
Harry stepped in at this point. "Alright grasshopper, take five. I'll step in here."  
  
"No, I..." Molly let out a sigh and nodded in acquiescence. "Okay." She let Korra help her to her feet and walked over to join me at the stairway inside the TARDIS door. Outside Korra and Harry faced off, Korra attacking and Harry defending with his own defensive combat magics and techniques. She sat down.  
  
I sat down beside her and looked over at her. "What's wrong, Molly?"  
  
She looked at me with intense sympathy and concern. "It's... I'm not sure how to..."  
  
"You looked at us with your Sight, didn't you?", I asked.  
  
She nodded. "I was just curious, but... I didn't think it would..."  
  
"Was it seeing Korra's Avatar Spirit? I know that powerful spiritual entities can have an effect upon wizards when observed like that."  
  
There were tears forming in her eyes. "No, no it wasn't like that. It's... I can't explain it."  
  
"Then don't." I took her hand. "I know how the Sight works. You can't forget what you just saw."  
  
"Nope. It'll always be fresh for me."  
  
I used the other hand to wipe away a tear. "I know what that's like, Molly. As a Time Lord, I have what you would call a photographic memory. Short of having my mind directly altered, I don't forget _anything_ I see." Indeed, as I said that some of my... less pleasant memories popped into my head. "Here. Why don't you show me what you saw?"  
  
Her eyes widened. "I... no. I... Harry told me no mind magic."  
  
"Won't be on your end," I answered. I tapped my forehead with my right hand. "Telepathic touch power is something we Time Lords come equipped with. I'll connect to you slightly and you simply call up the image in your head. Show me what you Saw."  
  
Molly wiped away a tear that threatened to smear her makeup. She looked deep in thought for the moment before nodding. "Okay. I... i guess. I don't think it'll make me feel any better..."  
  
"Sometimes it helps just knowing that someone knows what's wrong," I said softly. "Now quiet your mind. As soon as you feel my contact, show me what you saw."  
  
She nodded and closed her eyes. I brought my hand up to her face and gently pressed my fingers to her cheek and forehead. My eyes closed and I felt Molly's mind through the contact. I could feel the power that permeated her, the ability to wield the creative force of magic with her will. Had I pushed further I would have seen everything that there was to Molly Carpenter.  
  
But I didn't do that. I kept the contact light. I did nothing while her mind focused, bringing up that new memory forever etched into her very soul.  
  
And.... it was no wonder she'd reacted like that.  
  
For one thing, looking at the TARDIS with the Sight would have overwhelmed someone not prepared for it. The entire control chamber was saturated with golden light. Exposure to the Time Vortex, I imagine.  
  
But that was clearly not what had effected Molly so severely.  
  
Asami was... Asami. She didn't look any different, really, save for the subtle aura of green that was around her. It was residue from her brief time wielding a Green Lantern power ring.  
  
But Korra and I....  
  
Korra was covered in white and blue light. Slightly above her hovered a spirit, broad winged and shaped like a kite, white colored with blue patterns. It was Raava, the Light Spirit that was at the core of the Avatar Spirit's being.  
  
But that wasn't what had hurt Molly either.  
  
Korra herself.... have you ever imagined what a person would look like while recovering from a savage beating? Not just a beating, but being degraded and bound and physically battered? That was how Molly saw her. Korra was covered in bruises and welts and cuts that created terrible purple and red marks on her dark tanned skin. Dried blood was still clinging to open wounds on her visible skin and her clothes were marked with similar splotches of red. Chains still hung from her wrists and by her ankles, complete with the shackles the Red Lotus had put her in. Everything about her conveyed intense suffering that would make someone's blood cool. Although her expression hadn't changed... the aura of energy around her conveyed more meaning than the face did. She looked more frightened and vulnerable. Uncertainty clouded her blue eyes.  
  
As for me... in the Sight I looked like a recovering concentration camp victim. My already lean form was emaciated and weak. My eyes were sunken and bloodshot and black ringed my eye sockets. I looked like a strong breeze might blow me over.  
  
It also looked like I wasn't even fully there. Like I was part real and part shade. Like I might just... wink out of existence.  
  
I gasped audibly. No wonder Molly had been so shaken.  
  
Seeing what our battered spirits looked like was heart-wrenching. It drove home how much Korra had suffered and what I had become from my own misdeeds. In a momentary loss of control I felt other familiar pains come to the surface. I imagined Jan and Cami after they'd been assimilated and the haunted looks they'd had after their rescue, still Borged up in _Voyager_ 's sickbay, when my hearts had broken at their appearance. I vividly remembered Katherine's sad remains after the bomb had been through with her. Nerys bleeding from her nose and mouth as radiation killed her, as I begged her to open the door and heard her refuse out of determination to keep me from my dreadful plan to eviscerate the Cardassian state with their own planet-wrecking Dreadnought missiles. The anguish I'd felt before I turned myself into John Smith-Stevens. It all came.  
  
And because of my lapse of control... it also went into Molly's mind.  
  
She cried out and pulled away from me, cutting the telepathic connection in the process. Her cry brought us the attention of the other three. "What just happened?", Asami asked.  
  
"It's... it's fine," Molly gasped. "I... I didn't..."  
  
"Grasshopper." Harry's voice was as stern as his expression. "What did you do?"  
  
I got to my feet. "Nothing. It was me, Harry. I tried to help her with what she'd Seen earlier and lost control of my own memories. She saw some things."  
  
"Katherine," Molly whimpered. "I can't believe.... what they did to her. And Jan and Cami..."  
  
Harry's expression softened with understanding. He eyed me and I lowered mine in response. "It was my fault," I insisted.  
  
"Yeah," he said. He looked to Korra. "Up for calling it a day?"  
  
"Uh, yeah," she answered, not quite sure what had happened.  
  
And so we did.  
  
  
  
  
The following week was mostly, well, routine. Training for Korra, training for Molly, and some down time for everyone when Harry had to attend to Warden business. I found an alley I could stash the TARDIS in during those days so that Korra could get in her dojo practice with Murphy. Or rather, a combination of form practice and private talks, but that was the entire point of the exercise.  
  
I was not surprised to see that Murphy had taught Korra a few things about martial arts that weren't common in her own world. I suppose I should have pondered how this might alter things there... but I was more concerned about seeing Korra get her spirit recovered.  
  
The only thing of significant note for us happened that weekend. Molly had informed her family of our arrival in Chicago and the Carpenters had decided to invite us all over for a dinner. For the first time Korra and Asami met the other Carpenter children and Michael's wife Charity. And, most importantly, they met Michael again.  
  
It was the first time I'd seen Michael in a long while. He had recovered enough to limp around in a cane but the damage still showed. He'd lost muscle and clearly had trouble seeing out of one eye. Given what he'd been like when he first met my Companions, it was quite a shock. But also, I think, it gave him a perspective that served well in talking to Korra. We all sat in the living room as the final preparations were made for dinner. Korra explained in brief what had happened and Michael was suitably warm and somber in his reply. "I'm happy to see you're healing," he said.  
  
"I wish we'd been told about you," Korra answered. "Maybe Katara could have healed you and...."  
  
Michael raised a hand. "What's done is done, Korra. It was my time. I'm only grateful I could still be here for my family." He reached over and put a hand on his youngest son's head. Young Harry Carpenter was busy playing with some play-doh. I almost swore I saw a strand of brown hair in it. I looked at Harry with a small grin, remembering when that same chunk had been firmly planted in his hair.  
  
That made me sigh. Had that been so long ago? Why, yes. Yes it had.  
  
"I can see you're still carrying your wounds," Michael said softly.  
  
Korra nodded. "Yeah. It's like whenever I'm getting better something happens and... I slip back. I get flashbacks."  
  
"Yes." There was a gentleness in his eyes. "But He never gives us burdens that our shoulders cannot carry. No matter how long it takes, have faith. Faith can light the way when no other path seems possible."  
  
"Faith." Korra pondered the word.  
  
"And the same for you." Michael looked at me. I remained still in the chair I'd taken. "Have faith, Doctor."  
  
"Faith in God?" I asked quietly.  
  
He smiled gently. "Of course. But you should also have faith in yourself."  
  
I nodded at that. And I pondered.  
  
Shortly after that, dinner was served.  
  
  
  
  
The coda for this evening was the obvious one given the proclivities of the Carpenter family with such luscious snowfall.  
  
The snowball fight that night was amusingly epic. It started with the children - all save Daniel, who was off to join the Army - and escalated when an errant snowball found its way to Asami's face. "Hey!", Asami protested. "Who threw that?!"  
  
Everyone pointed at each other.  
  
Asami let out a mock growl and reached to the ground to gather snow of her own. She tossed one at Amanda, already quite tall despite her age, and splattered the Carpenter girl in the face. Hope retaliated on her older sister's behalf and hit Korra. With an amused smirk on her face, Korra brought her hands up. "You want a snowball fight? This is a snowball fight." Snow lifted from the ground and compacted into little spheres. With a movement of one arm Korra sent them flying into the gaggle of Carpenter children, who shrieked with surprise and delight at the display of snow-based firepower. They promptly grabbed fresh ammunition and returned fire. Korra used gusts of air and her own waterbending to deflect the attacks. "Ha!"  
  
"If we're using _powers_...." Molly's voice seemed to come from nowhere... and then the girl, who stood at least five inches over Korra in height, appeared from behind a veil and unloaded two handfuls of snow down Korra's collar. Korra cried out in shock and twirled around, a giggling Molly running off as her siblings opened fire on the stunned Avatar. Asami took a snowball and tossed it at where she thought Molly was going due to her footprints. Molly apparently ducked.  
  
Which meant the snowball plastered right into the side of Harry's head. He turned from where he had been talking to me and the Carpenters, who looked at him with knowing smiles as his eyes playfully narrowed. "Alright. If that's the way it's going.... _ventas servitas!_ " With a gesture of his hand a powerful wind whooshed down and plowed up snow until it deluged Asami and Korra together.  
  
I smiled at the Carpenters. "Excuse me." I looked to Harry and tapped his shoulder. "Sir, I shall remind you that they are my Companions." At which point I brought my sonic disruptor out from under my coat and directed a relatively weak force blast into the snow in front of Harry, throwing it up with enough force to cover him and bowl him over. With my hearing I directed another blast... which became a Molly-shaped form briefly before she became visible again and fell over.  
  
At that point, four Carpenter children hit me with a series of snowballs. Korra came out from under the man-made snow flurry Harry had buried her with and started flinging snow madly. Within moments, the only two people in the backyard who were not in the fight were the Carpenter parents themselves, who watched and laughed.  
  
Indeed, the festivities became active enough that Mouse jumped in, tail wagging. Which meant Naga jumped in. I think it was the first time Mouse faced down a fellow canine (or, well, part canine) who was larger than he was. And therefore chaos rained.  
  
I also got ran over by Naga. But it didn't put a real damper on the evening's festivities.  
  
All things said... the night was fun. The kind of fun that's good for the soul and makes for happy memories. The kind my Companions and I needed at that point.


End file.
